Nail strips



(No Model.)

7 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. A. HORTON. MACHINE FOR FORMING NAIL STRIPS.

Patented Feb, 18, 1896.

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J. A. HORTON. MACHINE FOR FORMING NAIL STRIPS.

No. 554,931 Patented Feb. 18, 1896.

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(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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MACHINE FOR FORMING NAIL STRIPS. No. 554,931. Patented Feb. 18, 1896.

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(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 4. J. A. HORTON.-

MAG HINE FOR FORMING N'AIL STRIPS.

No. 554,931. Patented Feb. 18, 1896.

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(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 5.

J. A. HORTON. MACHINE FOR FORMING NAIL STRIPS.

No. 554,931. Patented Feb. 18, 18 96.

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(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 6.

J. A. HORTON. MACHINE. FOR FORMING NAIL STRIPS.

No. 554,931. v Patented Feb, 18 1896.

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. J.A.HORTON. MACHINE FOR FORMING NAIL STRIPS.

No. 554,931. Patented Feb, 18, 1896.

j m g I l l INVENTBR:

NITED STAT-Es "ATENT Crricn.

JAMES A. HORTON, OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO J. V. RICHARDSON, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR FORMING NAIL-STRIPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,931, dated February 18, 1896.

Application filed November 11, 1895. Serial No. 568,535. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.- and the top and bottom clamping-dies. Fig.

Be it known that I, JAMES A. HORTON, of 7 represents a side view of the parts shown Reading,inthe countyof MiddlesexandState in Fig. 6. Figs. 8, 9,10, and 11 represent of Massachusetts, have invented certain new views similar to Fig. 7, showing the parts at 55 and useful Improvements in Machines for different stagesof the operation. Fig. 12 rep- Forming Nail-Strips and other Like Articles, resents a top view of a portion of the fixed of which the following is a specification. cutting-die. Fig. 13 represents a section on This invention relates to mechanism for proline 13 13, Fig. 12. Fig. 14 represents a view ducing articles, such as nail or slug strips, similar to Fig. 7, illustrating the function of 60 which are made by severing a strip of sheet the inclined portion of the fixed cutting-die metal longitudinally into two sections, each shown in Figs. 12 and 13. Fig. 15 represents having alternating projections and recesses, a section on line 15 15, Fig. 1. Fig. 16 repthe projections of each section being conresents a section on line 16 16, Fig. 1. Fig. nected by one edge of the section, which is 17 represents a perspective view of a portion 65 15 left continuous and forms the material for of the strip, showing the transverse inclinathe heads of the slugs or .nails. Slug or nail tion given to the strip at one end of the cut strips of this character are used in boot and formed by the cutting-dies by the inclined shoe slugging or nailing machines, each secportion of the fixed cutting-die. Fig. 18 reption into which the strip is cut, as above menresents a view of a portion of the strip, show- 70 2o tioned, constituting a strip of slugs or nails ing the distortion of one edge thereof that is united at their heads by the uncut edge of the avoided by the inclined portion of the fixed section and adapted to be used with an orcutting-die. Fig. 19 represents a front eleganized machine for separating the slugs or vation of an organized machine of which the nails one at a time from the strip and drivdies shown in the preceding figures are parts. 75 ing them. Fig. 20 representsa side elevation of said ma- The invention has for its object to provide chine. Fig 2O represents a section on line certain improvements relating to the dies for 20 20, Fig. 20. Fig. 21 represents a section longitudinally severing a strip into two secon line 21 21, Fig. 19. Fig. 22 represents a tions and to an organized machine of which section on line 22 22, Fig. 21. Fig. 23 repre- 8o said dies form parts. sents a section on line 23 23, Fig. 21. Fig.

The invention consists in the several im- 24 represents a section on line 24 24, 23.

provements which I will now proceed to de- Fig. 25 represents a perspective view of the scribe and claim. fixed cutting-die and the bottom clamping-die Of the accompanying drawings, forming a and their holders. Fig. 26 represents a side 85 part of this specification, Figure lrepresents View of the reels which coil the sections of 4 a plan view of a portion of a strip which has the strip. Fig. 27 represents a section on line been partially severed by the means consti- 27 27, Fig. 26, looking toward the right. Fig. tuting my invention. Fig. 2represents a per- 28 represents a section on line 28 28, Fig. 27. spective view of the fixed cutting-die and Figs. 29 and 30 represent views of the lower 90 the clamping-die co-operating therewith, said reel and its actuating mechanism, taken from parts being shown in position to clamp and opposite sides. Fig. 31 represents a sectional hold the strip. Fig. 3 represents a side view view of the cutting and clamping dies prior of the parts shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 repreto the cutting operation. Fig. 32 represents sents a perspective view of a portion of the a similar view after the cutting operation. 5 fixed cutting-die and a portion of the yield- Fig. 33 represents a perspective View of the ing bottom clamping-die which co-operates bottom cutting-die, showing the strip forced with the movable cutting-die hereinafter rethereinto by the operation represented in ferred to. Fig. 5 represents a side View of Fig. 32.

the construction shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 rep- The same letters and numerals of reference I00 resents a perspective view of portions of the indicate the same parts in all the figures.

fixed outing-die, the movable cutting die, The mechanism hereinafter described is intended to sever a strip a of sheet metal into two sections a (t of the form shown in Fig. 1, each section having alternating projections and recesses and comprising a string of slugs or nails, the form of the sections being such that the projections of one strip are taken from the recesses of the other. My invention is not limited, however, to the production of slug or nail strips, and may be used for longitudinally dividing a strip into two sections having interlocking edges of any desired form.

The cutting mechanism comprises a fixed cutting-die h and a movable cutting-die 1), (see Figs. 53, i, and (3,) said dies having combshaped cutting-edgesand being arranged so that the projections of one enter the recesses of the other, a strip a placed between said dies being therefore cut along lines corresponding to the shape of the cutting-edges, one section of the strip being depressed into the spaces between the teeth of the fixed die by the descent of the movable die. Co-operating with said dies are a bottom clampingdie, 0, and a top clamping-die, c. The bot tom die, 0, is formed to enter the spaces in the fixed cutting-die, as shown in Fi at, these projections coinciding with the projections of the movable cutting-die 2'), while the top clamping-die, c, has its projections formed to enter the recesses of the top cutting-die and coinciding with the projections of the fixed cutting-die Z). The fixed cutting-die is mounted upon a suitable bed (1 on the supporting-frame, while the movable cutting-die Z) is ailixed to a block orholder e mounted on a slide c, which is movable between fixed guides ff on the supporting-frame and may be reciprocated vertically by any suitable meanssuch as an eccentric on the drivingshaft 7, said eccentric being connected by a suitable strap or red with the slide 6.

The bottom clamping-die, c, is secured to a swinging holder h, which. is pivoted at 71, to the supporting-frame and is yieldingly supported by springs *i, a stop j limiting the upward movement of the said holder. The bottom die, 0, and its holder are positively raised at intervals by means of a rod or plunger k movable in a fixed guide in the supporting frame and connected at its lower end with a lever 71;, Figs. 20 and 21, which is pivoted at k to the supporting-frame and has at its swinging end an adjustable contact-piece 7a which bears upon a cam 7n on a shaft m. The top clamping-die, c, is secured to a holder at which is pivoted at n to the supportingframe and is normally raised by springs o.

1) represents a rod or plunger passing through the holder n and through fixed guides in the supporting-frame and having a crossrod 17 at its upper end bearing on the upper surface of the holder 12. The lower end of the rod 29 is connected with a lever 11 which is pivoted at p to the supporting-frame and has at its swinging end a contact-piece 1) bearing on a cam 13 on the shaft m. The rotation of the shaft on causes the rods or plungers 7t and p to reciprocate vertically, the rod in rising pushing the holder 7t and bottom clamping-die, c, upwardly, while the rod 1') in descending pulls the holder 71 and top clamping-dic, c, downwardly.

The described mechanism is timed so that the plunger 7c descends, leaving the bottom clamping-die, 0, supported only by the springs 11, while the movable cutting-die is descending and forcing one section of the strip downwardly into the fixed cutting-die. The bottom clamping-die is thus allowed to yield to permit the depression of one of the sections of the strip and is afterward raised positively to eject said section from the fixed cuttingdie by the upward movement of the plunger 70. The downward movement of the rod or plunger 1) draws the top (5lZt1]l1')l1lg-tll0 down upon the strip a, so that the latter is clamped between the top clamping-die and the fixed cutting-die Z), the top clamping-die being held in this position during the cutting operation and subsequently released by the upward movement of the rod or plunger said movc- 1n ent permitting the springs 0 to raise the top clamping-die. The first tooth or projection of the fixed cutting-die Z) is inclined or beveled on its upper surface, forming an inclined face 2, (see Figs. 12, 13, and 14,) the outer end of the first tooth being thus depressed below the outer ends of the other teeth of the fixed die by about the thickness of the strip (1. The object of this formation of the fixed cutting-die is to give the portion of the strip it immediately adjoining the end of the cut formed by the cutting-dies the transverse inclinationB, (shown in Figs. 10' and 17,) this inclination connecting the depressed section a" with the raised section a by a gradual incline and preventing the abrupt upward bending or distortion of the edge of the strip at the end of the out which would take place, as shown in Fig. 18, if the first tooth of the fixed cutting-die were flush with the other teeth of said die. This featurenamely, the inclination of the first tooth of the fixed die-is one of considerable importance and is the result of much study and experiment over the problem of preventing the distortion or wrinkling of the edge of the strip at the end of each cut made by the cutting-dies.

The cutting-dies and the clamping-dies are timed to operate as follows: The strip is fed intermittingly by a feeding mechanism hereinafter described, and after each feed movement is grasped and held between the fixed cutting-die I) and top clampin g-die, c, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the bottom clamping-die at the same time being i] ush with the fixed cutting-die and bearing upon the under side of the strip. (See Figs. 4 and 5.) The movable The strip and the sections thereof are therefore clamped at all points prior to and during the cutting operation, so that the tendency of the metal to expand under the pressure of the dies in any direction is reduced to the minimum. The movable cutting-die then rises, as shown in Fig. 9, leaving the depressed section of the strip engaged with the fixed dutti ng-die and the other section clamped between the fixed cuttingdie and thetop clamping-die, the strip and its sections being thus firmly held While the feeding device is retracted preparatory to taking a new hold upon the strip. After the retraction of the feeding device the top clamping-die is released by the rod 19 and is raised by the springs out of contact with the upper section of the strip, as shown in Fig. 10, after which the bottom clamping-die is positively raised by the rod or plunger is and is caused to eject the lower section of the strip from the fixed cutting-die, as shown in Fig. 11, the two sections being then released and free to be moved forward by the feed mechanism. The object of the raising of the top clamping-die before the bottom clamping-die rises is to prevent the positive upward movement of the bottom clamping-die from forcing the lower section of the strip back into the spaces of the upper section of the strip, it being desirable that the two sectionsbe kept separated from each other, so that each can be readily coiled upon its own coilingreel, as hereinafter described. In case,however, it is desirable for any reason to reinsert the lower section into the spaces of the upper section, the operation of the clamping-dies may be timed so that the upper die will hold the upper section against the positive upward pressure of the lower clamping-die. The feed movement of the strip takes place while the dies are in the position shown in Fig. 11, after Which the top clamping-die descends upon the strip and the series of operations above described are repeated.

By reference to Figs. 1 and 17 it will be seen that the end of the cut formed by the forward portions of the cutting-dies or those nearest the front of the machine constitutes one edge of a tooth, the other edge of which is to be subsequently cut from the inclined portion 3. The feed movement of the strip carries it far enough to bring the inclined por tion 3 into position to be acted on by the portions of the cutting-dies at the rear ends of the latter, the subsequent descent of the movable cutting-die causing the completion of the said partially-formed tooth; The clamping of all portions of the strip by the cutting-dies and by the clamping-dies, as above described, enables the said incomplete tooth to be completed without liability of rolling or being distorted during the operation. This result is due to the confinement of the metal by the clamping-dies as well as by the cutting-dies, so that the teeth are held flat and no tooth can turn upwardly at either edge.

The strip-feeding mechanism, which advances the strip step by step under the dies, comprises a slide 0, fitted to move horizontally in guides on the frame of the machine and provided with a series of spring-pressed dogs 0, which are arranged to grasp the strip a and feed it positively forward when the feedslide is advancing, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 21, and to slip on the strip without moving it when the slide is being retracted. The feeding mechanism includes also means for reciprocating the slide 7', said means comprising a rock-shaft r journaled in bearings on the supporting-frame, an arm r affiXed to said shaft and connected by a link r with an ear on the slide 0", an arm r also attached to the rock-shaft, and a rod 7', connecting the arm 1' with a holder or socket r secured to a wrist-pin r eccentrically mounted upon a disk r affixed to the driving-shaft g. The rotation of said disk causes the wrist-pin to revolve and thus impart an up-and-down motion to the rod 4", the latter rocking the rockshaft r and imparting a back-and-forth motion to the slide 0". For the purpose of minutely adjusting the length of movement of the slide '1', I provide the arm r with a nut 1" Fig. 31, which is movable lengthwise of the arm in a slot formed in the latter and is held in any position within the range of its adj ustment by means of an adjusting-screw r which is journaled in the arm r and is engaged with the nut r ,so that rotation of the screw 1 moves said nut toward or from the rock-shaft. The nut r is provided with a stud 4*, with which the lower end of the connecting-rod r is engaged. It will be seen, therefore, that the distance of the nut r and stud r from the rock-shaft r determines the extent of the feed movement, and that by rotating the screw r a very minute adjustment of said movement can be effected. The nut r is positively secured after its adjustment by means of a clamping'nut r.

s and 8 represent reels upon which the sections a, a of the strip are coiled. The reels is affixed to a shaft 3 which is journaled in bearings in the supporting-frame and is provided with a gear 5 which meshes with a gear 8 affixed to the shaft 8 of the upper reel, 3. The shaft of the lower reel, 3, is given a step-by-step rotation in the direction required to wind. a section of the coil thereon by means of an arm 15, which is mounted to oscillate upon the shaft 8 and has a connection therewith by means such as the clutch shown in Fig. whereby when the arm tis oscillated it will impart a step-by-step rotation to the shaft 8 In order that the extent of rotary movement imparted to the reels may vary and gradually decrease as the reels increase in diameter, I provide the arm 15 with a slide which receives motion from the driving-shaft of the machine through mechanism hereinafter described, said slide being supported by the coil a formed by winding the section upon the lower reel, said slide having a stud projecting over the coil and provided with trundle-roll t, which bears upon the periphcry of the coil. The slide t is connected by a connecting-rod t with an arm t affixed to a rock-shaft t the latter having an arm i which is connected by a rod t with the eccentric wrist-pin r on the driving'shaft. The slide i therefore receives a back-and-forth motion of uniform length from the driving-shaft through the described connection; but as said slide moves outwardly upon the arm t as the coil accumulates it will be seen that the movements imparted to the arm and to the shaft of the lower coil are successively shorter as the coil increases. Hence the same amount is wound upon the strip with each movement of the reels, regardless of the size of the coils. The slide t is pressed downwardly by means of a spring a, which is arranged to press the trundle-roll 25 against the periphery of the coil with sufficient force to cause the winding of the strip into a compact coil. The upper reel, 8, which receives motion from the lower reel through the gears 5 s is provided with a coil-compacting device consisting of an arm '0 pivoted at n to the supporting-frame and pressed downwardly against the coil upon the reel 3 by means of a spring v The arm '1; has a handle o by means of which it maybe raised from the coil and thrown back out of the way, with its end n bearing against astop 'u", in which position it will be held by the spring t as will be readily seen.

To enable the rotation of the coils to be conveniently stopped while the operator is securing the ends of the strip-sections to the reels, I make the connecting-rod i in two separable sections 8 9. The section Qhas asocket which receives the section 8, and also has a spring pressed latch 10, which engages a notch 12 in the section 8. By raising the latch 10 the two sections are separated and the connect ing-rod 25 becomes inoperative. The latch 10 may be held raised by means of a key 13 arranged under the latch, as shown in Fig. 26.

It will be seen by reference to Fig. 20 that both the feed mechanism and the coiling-reels are actuated by one driving-shaft, each of said mechanisms being connected directly to the single wrist-pin r Said wrist-pin is adj ustable 011 the disk 1- by means of an ad justing-screw 9', said screw enabling the feed movement and the strip-coiling movement to be simultaneously adjusted. In addition to this the feed mechanism has the independent adjustment above described, while the ceiling mechanism has also an independent adjustment, the connecting-rod being engaged with the arm 25 by a bolt which is adjustable in a slot 6 in said arm.

The cam-carrying shaft on is rotated by power communicated from the driving-shaft through a shaft w connected by bevel-gears w 20 with the driving-shaft and bevel-gears w w with the shaft m.

It will be seen that by the employment of four intermeshing dies, as shown and described, the projecting portions of each die are supported laterally by entering the recesses of the die with which it intermeshes. Hence there is no liability of breakage of any projecting portion or tooth.

I may use any other suit.ble feeding device, such as a roll-feed, instead of the slide with the spring-pressed dogs.

I claim- 1. I11 a machine of the character specified, the combination of a fixed cutting-die, a movable cutting-die formed to eo-operate with the said fixed die in severing a strip longitudinally into two sections, mechanism for reciprocating said movable die, a movable bottom cla1nping-die co-operatin g with the movable cutting-die in clamping the strip and one of the sections thereof, a movable top clamping-die co-operating with the fixed cutting-die in clamping the strip and the other section thereof, and mechanism for operating said clamping-dies, as set forth.

2. In a machine of the character specified, the combination of a fixed cutting-die, a movable cutting-die formed to co-operate with the said fixed die in severing a strip longitudinally into two sections, mechanism for reciprocating said movable die, amovable bottom clamping-die co-operating with the movable cutting-die in clamping the strip and one of the sections thereof, a movable top clam pin g die co-operating with the fixed cutting-die in clamping the strip and the other section thereof, means for yieldingly supporting and positively raising said bottom clamping-die, and means for operating said top clampingdie.

3. In a mechanism of the character specified, the combination of a fixed comb-shaped cutting-die having its first tooth beveled or inclined 011 its top surface, a movable combshaped cutting-die formed to co-operate with said fixed die, and mechanism for reciprocating the movable die, the said beveled or inclined tooth imparting a transverse inclination to the portion of the strip adjacent to one end of the cut made by said dies.

4. In a machine of the character specified, the combination of a fixed cutting-die, a movable cutting-die formed to co-operate therewith, a yieldinglysnpported movable top clamping-die adapted to co-operate with the fixed cutting-die in clamping the strip and one of the sections into which it is cut, mechanism for alternately depressing and raising said clamping-die, a bottom clamping-die adapted to co-operate with the fixed cuttingdie in clamping the strip and the other section into which it is cut, a spring yieldingly supporting the bottom clamping-die, and mechanism for positively raising said bottom clamping-die, the top die being raised before the bottom die rises, whereby the sections are left free to be raised by the bottom die.

5. In a mechanism of the character specified, the combination of a pair of cutting-dies adapted to sever a strip longitudinally into two sections, two reels geared together and IIO adapted to coil the said sections, an oscillatory arm connected bymeans such as a clutch with one of said reels and adapted to rotate the latter step by step, a slide on said arm supported by the coil on said reel, and means for imparting a baclc-and-forth motion to said slide and through the latter to the arm, the slide being gradually moved outwardly on the arm by the coil as-the latter increases, whereby the step-by-step rotary movements of the reels are successively shortened in proportion to the increase in the diameter of the coils.

6. In a machine of the character specified, the combination of a pair of cutting dies adapted to sever a strip longitudinally into two sections, two reels geared together and adapted to coil the said sections, an oscillatory arm connected by means such as a clutch with one of said reels and adapted to rotate the latter step by step, a slide on said arm supported by the coil on said reel, a driving-shaft, and separable connections between said shaft and the slide, whereby the latter may be readily made inoperative to stop the motion of the reels.

7. In a machine of the character specified, the combination of a pair of cutting dies adapted to sever a strip longitudinally into two sections, two reels geared together and adapted to coil the said sections, an oscillatory arm connected by means such as a clutch with one of said reels and adapted to rotate the latter step by step, a slide on said arm supported by the coil on said reel, a driving-shaft, and connections between said shaft and slide comprising a two-part connecting-rod the parts of which are separably interlocked.

8. In a machine of the character specified, the combination of a pair of cutting dies adapted to sever a strip longitudinally into two sections, two reels geared together and adapted to coil the said sections, an oscillatory arm connected by means such as a clutch with one of said reels and adapted to rotate the latter step by step, a slide on said arm supported by the coil on said reel, means for imparting a back-and-forth motion to said slide and through the latter to the arm, and a coilcompacting device arranged to act on the coil of the other reel.

9. In a machine of the character specified, the combination of the driving shaft, the strip-feeding device, the fixed and movable cutting dies, the clamping dies, the stripcoiling reels, and connections between the driving-shaft and the said feeding device, movable cutting-die,clamping-dies,and reels.

10. In a machine of the character specified, the combination of the driving shaft, the strip-feeding device, the strip-coiling reels, the two series of devices connecting the shaft respectively with the said feeding device and reels, each series having provision for its independent adjustment, and means for simultaneously adjusting both series.

11. A strip winding or coiling mechanism comprising a reel, an oscillatory arm connected by means such as a friction-clutch with the reel and adapted to rotate the latter step by step, a slide on said arm supported by the coil on said reel, and means for imparting back and forth motion to said slide and through the latter to the arm, the slide being gradually moved outwardly on the arm by the coil as the latter increases, whereby the stepby-step rotary movements of the reel are successively shortened as the diameter of the coil increases.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 29th day of October, A. D. 1895.

I JAMES A. HORTON.

Witnesses:

CHAS. W. B. FULLER, O. F. BROWN. 

